John Nevison [ 1821 - 1907 ]

John Nevison was born in Durham County, England, 29th August 1821, and settled in Canada sometime during the 1860’s [FFPL 07.15-16]. His saddlery first appears in the 1865/1866 Fuller’s directory, and he is listed as a 49 year-old, English born harness maker in the 1871 Census. The Census describes the harness maker’s 1871 shop as having two employees (one of which was no doubt Nevison himself) and as being run with “human” power. It made “all kinds of harnesses and repairs”, but it was noted that “this establishment running one year and the accounts not kept correct” [sic].

John and Thomas Nevison were burnt out in the fire of March 1877 [CP 16 March 1877; 3]; each may have had their own shop as the contents saved in the fire are listed separately. The shops were open again soon afterwards [CP 23 March 1877; 1]. John Nevison’s name disappears from the directories after 1878, about the same time as Joseph’s name first appears. Joseph may have taken over the family business, or John may have left the village altogether. Certainly John had moved to Michigan by 1889, and he died there on September 26th, 1907 [FFPL: 07.15-16].